It's been worth the wait of a decade and a half to see Hanoi Jane back on screen and about as narked as she was during the Vietnam War.

She plays TV primadonna, Viola Fields, a recently sacked anchorwoman and smothering mum to her sexy surgeon son Kevin (Vartan)

While she's being counselled following an attack on an airhead Britney Spears clone on her last chatshow, Kevin has found his ideal woman.

She's Charlie Cantilini (Lopez), a wannabe illustrator who temps as a secretary, dog walker and waitress…when she catches Kevin's sparkly eye.

However, the gloves are off when Viola emerges from rehab and realises Charlie is about to take away her jealously guarded son.

Legally Blonde director Robert Luketic is a safe pair of hands…and this is the major criticism of this half-decent comedy: it plays it safe.

Scheming Fonda goes in all guns blazing, shrieking at her long-suffering PA Ruby (Wanda Sykes) to remove Charlie permanently from the picture.

Lopez, in her first decent role for an age, even allows her legendary rump to become the, erm, butt of the jokes. (wouldn't you for a £12m pay cheque?).

However, Jenny from the Block doing coy - like she does here - is the equivalent of Christopher Walken getting cutesie.

Vartan's a pretty wishy-washy romantic lead (think Chris Martin with stubble) while Elaine Stritch performs a winning cameo as Viola's nemesis.

It's about as taxing as the Bahamas and the comedy is so light it could float away, but it's got an undeniable charm and a perky script from first-timer Anya Kotchoff.

Still, slushy rom-com fans will lap it up.

Tim Evans